The Secret Sex Tip You Need to Know
By Leesa Chalk Suzman
Days 22 Through 28
It's a BAD WEEK for PMS
Progesterone reaches its peak, a sign that you've officially entered the premenstrual phase. You may have no PMS symptoms or all of them (everything from crying to breast tenderness to headaches). A slight increase of the "male" hormone testosterone around this time can contribute to sudden body oddities, like rapidly growing facial hair, increased body odor and an oilier scalp.
It's also a BAD WEEK for YOUR SPIRITS
Being sensitive to progesterone can make you blue and hungry. Lunch on a turkey burger and baked potato to lift your spirits — both contain amino acids that boost levels of feel-good chemicals in your brain. Feeling bloated? High-protein, low-carb, low-salt foods will help you feel less fleshy, which in turn can help your mood. And don't worry if you overdo it: Due to a slightly higher body temperature, you may burn extra calories during PMS.
SEX-LIFE BONUS
Extra exposure to testosterone has a perk: Your voice can get lower and huskier (and sexier) right before your period.
DAY 28
Possible signs that your period is on the way tomorrow: a swollen stomach, insomnia and headache.
Sources: Geoffrey Redmond, M.D., an endocrinologist specializing in female hormone problems at the Hormone Center of New York; Leslie Miller, M.D., Asst. Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington in Seattle; Melissa Yih, M.D., a reproductive endocrinologist at IVF New Jersey in Princeton; James V. Kohl, author of The Scent of Eros: Mysteries of Odor in Human Sexuality (iUniverse, July 2002).
